The area between the city library and Marine Park has long been a bottleneck when cruise ship passenger transfer operations are underway. Cruise ships will be docking at the Steamship Wharf every summer for years. Improvements are needed now.

The improvements depicted in the Juneau Empire show tour buses removed from Marine Way (the roadway) by staging them on the new wharf docking. This change will reduce traffic congestion on Marine Way. A second improvement is the increase in the size of the Marine Park green space. Most people enjoy Marine Park now; a larger park will be even better.

Over two seasons the money from the cruise ship head tax will pay for the proposed improvements. Construction documents should be prepared now with the goal of having the improvements ready for the start of the 2003 cruise season.